Another Victory

Last night, the Mexican team advanced to the next level of play in the World Cup in a match with Ecuador.  The game was played once again here at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium.  It was supposed to begin at 7:00, but because of thunderstorms it was delayed an hour.

I don't have cable TV at the apartment, so I was unable to watch the game.  However, I checked the score frequently on my cell phone, and I could tell from cheering outside when Mexico scored a goal.  The final score was 2 - 0 with another victory for the home team.

Then the noise of celebration began.  Groups of people walking down the street were cheering loudly, and car horns were honking incessantly.  I knew that I wasn't going to be able to get any sleep for a while, so I got up, turned on the laptop, and looked at webcams in various parts of the city.  Traditionally, the Monument of Independence (commonly referred to as the "Angel") is the location to gather after "fútbol" victories.  Sure enough, the area around the monument was like New Year's Eve on Time Square.  I took a photo of my laptop screen, and although the picture is not great, I think you can make out the throngs of people.

I looked at another webcam situated more than a mile up Paseo de la Reforma from the "Angel", and here too the boulevard was jammed with crowds.

In fact, at the left of the picture, looking down Reforma, it appears that giant TV screens had been set up all along the boulevard, and that the crowds extended all the way from here to the Independence Monument.  I read that more than one million fans had gathered.  The tragic part is that three people died, crushed by the crowds.

A smaller crowd had gathered by the Monument to the Revolution, which was illuminated with the colors of the Mexican flag.

There were not that many people by the Palace of Fine Arts, but I made a video so that you can hear the noise of the honking horns.

Mexico moves on to the next level of the tournament.  Assuming that the team from England defeats the Congo today, Mexico will play against the English, once again at Azteca Stadium on Sunday.  (We will be in London that day... so I better not wear my Mexican soccer jersey!)  Even though I have relatives in England, I will be rooting for Mexico.  Sorry, cousins!